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The Dimensionless Age of the Universe: A Riddle for Our Time

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102459 Avelino_2016_ApJ_828_35.pdf (880.99 KB)

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2016

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10.3847/0004-637X/828/1/35

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American Astronomical Society
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Avelino, Arturo, and Robert P. Kirshner. 2016. “THE DIMENSIONLESS AGE OF THE UNIVERSE: A RIDDLE FOR OUR TIME.” The Astrophysical Journal 828 (1): 35. https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637x/828/1/35.

Abstract

We present the interesting coincidence of cosmology and astrophysics that points toward a dimensionless age of the Universe H(0)t(0) that is close to one. Despite cosmic deceleration for 9 Gyr and acceleration since then, we find H(0)t(0) = 0.96 +/- 0.01 for the.CDM model that fits SN Ia data from Pan-STARRS, CMB power spectra, and baryon acoustic oscillations. Similarly, astrophysical measures of stellar ages and the Hubble constant derived from redshifts and distances point to H(0)t similar to 1.0 +/- 0.1. The wide range of possible values for H(0)t(0) realized during cosmic evolution means that we live at what appears to be a special time. This "synchronicity problem" is not precisely the same as the usual coincidence problem, because there are combinations of Omega(M) and Omega(Lambda) for which the usual coincidence problem holds but for which H(0)t(0) is not close to 1.

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http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41399814

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